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Monday Musings: Why the delay in restoring civic playground to the public?
Why has the Pune Municipal Corporation failed to put up a big, bold signage stating clearly that the plot is a playground for the public? Why has the PMC not opened up public access to this plot?
Exactly seven months ago, on October 18, 2018, this newspaper had exposed how Dalit leaders Parshuram Wadekar and his wife Sunita, the Republican Party of India (Athawale faction) corporator from Bopodi, had succeeded in securing two prime plots of public land that stood enclosed within the boundary of a super-luxury residential project in the Khadki-Bopodi area.
Our report related to the land situated in the Castel Royale residential complex, outside the Khadki gate of the Savitribai Phule Pune University, where flats in the 26-storeyed towers are priced between ₹5 crore and ₹17 crore. This particular project of Avinash Bhosale Infrastructure Ltd (ABIL), bang outside the Khadki gate of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has had a convoluted history, stretching back to almost 10 years. Had it not been for the Wadekars, the people of Pune would most certainly have forgotten the very existence of the two public utility plots which appear to be enclosed in the premises of the Castel Royale project.
As per the builder-developer’s agreement with the PMC, ABIIL needed to hand over a developed plot of one acre to the PMC and another plot of about 30,000 sq.ft which has been earmarked for a public playground. Both the plots have been dutifully handed over by the company.
Wadekar said that he received considerable assistance from city engineer Prashant Waghmare and an ex-IAS officer, who he declined to name, in getting possession of this land. He has proposed a Vipassana and Yoga centre on the one acre plot and also ensured that ₹1.5 crore has been earmarked towards this in the civic budget. On July 16, 2018, PMC even initiated a ground breaking ceremony for this project with Pune guardian minister Girish Bapat as the chief guest.
With regards to the playground plot of about 30,000 sq.ft, Amit Bhosale, managing director, ABIL confirmed in an exclusive interview that ABIL would be handing over the plot reserved for a public playground to the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) in the coming weeks. Civic officials confirm that this has been done and as per the agreement, Amit said, “We have built the boundary wall, flattened the ground and also added a football turf where children often play. Since the land was reserved for a playground, we have completed the work that is due for ‘tabeyadi’ (handing over) and now, within two weeks we will sign the final agreement with the PMC. The playground is approximately 26,000 to 28,000 sq ft.”
Now comes the catch: In the case of the public playground, it continues to be enclosed by the Castel Royale boundary wall. Why so?
Why has the PMC failed to put up a big, bold signage stating clearly that the plot is a playground for the public? Why has the PMC not opened up public access to this plot?
Will the citizen-activists of Pune please wake up and take possession of this public playground? Every inch of public land needs to be protected in our city. There’s not a moment to lose.
abhay.vaidya@hindustantimes.com
